The Pyramid Waltz [Paperback]

Barbara Ann Wright (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 18, 2012

To most, Princess Katya Nar Umbriel is a rogue and a layabout; she parties, she hunts and she breaks women’s hearts. But when the festival lights go down and the palace slumbers, Katya chases traitors to the crown and protects the kingdom’s greatest secret: the royal Umbriels are part Fiend. When Katya thwarts an attempt to expose the king’s monstrous side, she uncovers a plot to let the Fiends out to play.

Starbride has no interest in being a courtier. Ignoring her mother’s order to snare an influential spouse, she comes to court only to study law. But a flirtatious rake of a princess proves hard to resist, and Starbride is pulled into a world of secrets that leaves little room for honesty or love, a world neither woman may survive.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Barbara Ann Wright writes fantasy and science fiction novels and short stories when not adding to her enormous book collection or ranting on her blog. Her short fiction has appeared twice in Crossed Genres Magazine and once made Tangent Online's recommended reading list. She is a member of Broad Universe and the Outer Alliance and helped create Writer's Ink in Houston.
She is married, has an army of pets, and lives in Texas. Her writing career can be boiled down to two points: when her mother bought her a typewriter in the sixth grade and when she took second place in the Isaac Asimov Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing in 2004. One gave her the means to write and the other gave her the confidence to keep going. Believing in oneself, in her opinion, is the most important thing a person can do.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Bold Strokes Books (September 18, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602827419
• ISBN-13: 978-1602827417
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,633 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Barbara Ann Wright writes fantasy and science fiction novels and short stories when not adding to her enormous book collection or ranting on her blog. Her short fiction has appeared twice in Crossed Genres Magazine and once made Tangent Online's recommended reading list. Her first novel, The Pyramid Waltz, was one of Tor.com's Reviewer's Choice books of 2012 and is a 2012 Foreword Review Book of the Year Award Finalist as well as a Golden Crown Award finalist. She is a member of Broad Universe and the Outer Alliance and helped create Writer's Ink in Houston. She is also a member of the Round Rock Writers Guild, the Austin Speed-Writing Challenge, and Ladies-in-Writing, all writing meet-ups in Austin.


She is married and has an army of pets. Her writing career can be boiled down to two points: when her mother bought her a typewriter in the sixth grade and when she took second place in the Isaac Asimov Award for Undergraduate Excellence in Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing in 2004. One gave her the means to write and the other gave her the confidence to keep going. Believing in oneself, in her opinion, is the most important thing a person can do.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Princess and the Pyramid September 11, 2012

By Matt Borgard

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I love Fantasy. I love Fantasy's ability to take us to another world, to explore familiar themes in an unfamiliar setting which would be too cumbersome or incredible to deal with in a realistic setting. And though you'll never get me to admit it in a court of law, I'm pretty much a hopeless romantic, and though Romance is not normally my genre, give me a good love story inside a Speculative Fiction trapping, and I'm set.

One of the big problems with Fantasy, though, is the level of bland whitewashing in the most popular series. While diversity can be found if you dig deep enough, the stories of the Jordans, the Goodkinds, the Rothfusses and what-have-you are, at their heart, stories about straight white dudes often saving the world from other straight white dudes (or even worse, villainous brown gay people).

With that in mind, Barbara Ann Wright's The Pyramid Waltz is pretty much a revelation. The two central characters, Princess Katya and Starbride, inhabit a world where same-sex love is as uncontroversial as opposite marriage, which itself is fantastic (there's a place for exploring homosexuality in an oppressive society, but sometimes it's nice to see a pair of lesbians who aren't inherently star-crossed!).

Which isn't to say their relationship is all smooth sailing. Starbride, a visitor from a land some might call exotic (though don't say it to her face), has to balance her very real attraction with the expectation that she use Katya's influence to help her family. Katya, on the other hand, is the guardian of a very dark, very threatening family secret, and while she can't bear to lie to her new lover, becoming close might very well mean bringing Starbride into danger....

Wright's writing possesses a sharp wit, an amazing eye for detail (her fashion description is breathtaking at times) and a keen sense of the flow of battle -- and oh, for all the focus on feelings, there is plenty of battle.

If I had to make one criticism, it's that the pacing is pretty speedy near the end. The otherworldly, realm-threatening conflict that's only been hinted at in most of the book gets thrown into the open and (temporarily, I hope!) dealt with in the space of thirty pages or so. I would have liked to see stretched out a bit, but then, it's hard for me to be too critical about this, as watching Katya unravel the mystery years in the making is immensely entertaining, and the book's cliffhanger makes it clear that there's plenty more fiendish conflict to come.

I should also at least mention The Pyramid Waltz's magic system. I'm not normally one to gush over innovative (i.e., complicated) magic systems in Fantasy novels; for instance, I found Sanderson's oft-praised metallurgy system in Mistborn better suited to a role-playing game than a story. But I did very much enjoy Waltz's creation of a relic-based paradigm. Magic is performed using pyramids, hand-held objects created by master craftsmen known as pyradistés. I thought the subtle comparison, intentional or not, between artisan jewelers and the magicians added a lot of depth to the system, instead of making it feel tacked on.

I had a great time reading The Pyramid Waltz, and I would absolutely recommend it to any fan of Fantasy or Romance who isn't afraid of shrivelling up from cooties because our lead isn't a shaggy-haired, muscly boy destined to become a Chosen One. I, for one, think a pair of women finding love in spite of the dark events enveloping them is far more interesting. Read more ›

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic tale with fun, loveable characters September 18, 2012

By J. Lavoie

Format:Paperback

I hope you have some time to read, because you're not going to want to put this one down.

I can only say that this book was incredible. The characters were complex and well-written. The dialogue was fantastic and often humorous. Each character brought something new to the book and was very distinct. Not a single one felt forced or unreal to me. By the end of the book I was so caught up in their world that I found myself wish I lived in it.

It's not just the main characters, Katya and Starbride, that are well-written, though. Each secondary character became larger than life and had a huge stake in the book as well. I could easily see each one having his or her own book because I wanted to know that much more about them.

Wright creates an interesting world where magic is harnessed through pyramids, and Fiends lie sleeping just below the kingdom, controlled only by the humans in charge. In this world, love knows no bounds, be it gender or ethnicity. Starbride is from Allusia, another country, and it is visible in her looks. While some of the other courtiers scorn her, she does find some friends. And, of course, the Princess.

I loved Brother Brutal. I want to know more about his chapterhouse and how he seeks enlightenment through fighting. And Pennynail is such an intriguing character! Communicating only through gestures, he does not talk, and it seems the only person who knows his true identity is Crowe. It makes me wonder just who or what Pennynail is. I also have to admit a fondness for Lord Hugo and Countess Nadia.

If you enjoy fantasy with romantic elements, this is one book you will not want to miss out on. Finding the identity of the true enemy will leave you guessing until the last page.... Wright weaves together a wonderful tale full of peril, intrigue, romance, and magic. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Epic Fantasy Action on the Romance Shelf September 26, 2012

By Ross P. Wright

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is the story of two charming young women with vastly different backgrounds and personalities falling in love while their whole world tries to crash down around them. The excitement of discovery and anticipation both within their relationship and the action-driven main plot give the whole story a sense of urgency and danger that will keep you from putting the book down.

The love scenes are tantalizing, yet tastefully written. This is lesbian romance your straight parents can read... if they're a bit liberal. The characters flirt and tease each other - and the reader - but the resolution is so sweet it will warm your heart (and perhaps some other bits as well).

But, this is so much more than a romance novel, this book kicks right off with an exciting fight scene written so masterfully that you will raise a sweat. And the hits just keep on coming throughout the book. This book is equal parts romance and epic fantasy action set in an immersive fantasy world. The magic is uniquely fresh while being consistent and believable.

To top it off, the whole book is laced with a subtle brand of witty comedy that will raise a chuckle on every page. The book is by no means a comedy, but the comedic elements really bring the characters out and makes them real people. It keeps the serious, and sometimes dark, themes of the story feeling light as the characters deal with it like we all would.

This is a book you'll read again to go back to hang out with your old friends Katya, Starbride and the whole Order of Vestra. You will want to go back and read again as their love grows, knowing what is coming. I hope we see more books about Katya, Starbride and this new fantasy world.